It is known to connect an information processing apparatus such as a PC to a web server on a network, and to display an operation screen provided by the web server via a web browser included in the information processing apparatus. In this case, the web browser of the information processing apparatus first requests the web server for an operation screen. Then, in response to the request from the information processing apparatus, a web application in the web server transmits, to the information processing apparatus as a response, HTML data for causing the web browser to display an operation screen. Accordingly, the web browser of the information processing apparatus analyzes the received HTML data, and displays the operation screen based on the description of the HTML data. Furthermore, if a user inputs an instruction via the operation screen displayed by the web browser, the web browser notifies the web server of the input instruction. Then, the web application in the web server that has received this notification executes processing in accordance with the input instruction.
Recently, some multifunction peripherals (MFPs) provided with a scanner or a printer include a web browser as described above. Such an MFP displays an operation screen provided by a web server via the web browser of the MFP using the procedure described above, and accepts various instructions from a user.
Further, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-003833 discloses that a web server provides an operation screen for inputting instructions for utilizing functions that an MFP has, and a control script for controlling the MFP according to the operation. That is, a user of the MFP inputs an instruction to the MFP via the operation screen displayed via the web browser. Then, the control script is executed according to the input instruction. This control script requests the MFP to execute various processes in accordance with the content of the instruction input by the user. Then, the MFP that has received this request executes the requested processes. Accordingly, it is not necessary to hold in the MFP all the menu data for operating the MFP, and the menu data can also be easily changed in the web server.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-003833 described above, execution of processing is instructed using the control script loaded into the web browser based on the instruction input via the operation screen displayed by the web browser. Further, an MFP function to be executed by the control script is generated in the MFP device in the form of a job. The job generated in this way performs control of a scanner device or a printer device of the MFP, and also makes a request for interactive processing such as a request for a next input and a request for error improvement to the user. The control script receives the request for such processing, and further performs the next process. Thus, the MFP functions are controlled by interactive processing performed by the control script and jobs.
On the other hand, web browsers generally have a function of executing screen transition regardless of the state of content loaded into the web browser, such as “Back”, “Forward”, “Address Field”, and “Favorites”. However, the following are conceivable problems in the case where functions of the MFP are controlled by a control script loaded into the web browser of the MFP. That is, with a configuration such as that disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-003833, if the user operates a “Back” button of the web browser or the like while the MFP is executing a job, the control script that is being executed by the web browser is interrupted, and the screen that is being displayed is switched. Consequently, the script for controlling the job that is currently being executed is lost, and the job can no longer be controlled. Furthermore, if jobs that are being executed stop due to waiting for a user input or an error state, jobs whose processing cannot be continued will be retained in the MFP.